Environmental Commitment

We began our journey to mitigate the impact of climate change in 2003. We had an internal goal to become carbon neutral by 2012 and for thelast several years worked towards this goal by improving energy efficiency and increasing use of low-carbon resources.

Why we wanted to be carbon neutral?

To help focus the attention of our customers, associates, teammembers and shareholders on energy efficiency

To set up a process of continual improvement in our carbon management

To introduce a financial incentive for reducing our carbon footprint and resource use

To catalyze the adoption of resource efficiency and drive energy use reductions in our communities

To prepare in the long-term for regulations and fiscal measure that are likely to be introduced

Some critics also say that companies that offset would be better to spend this money on reducing emissions within their businesses. We have invested in offsetting projects that achieve social benefits as well as carbon reductions at the same time.

We have also been concerned about criticism of the accreditation of the offsetting schemes. We did a lot of work to make sure that we were following a properly accredited scheme. We purchase credits under the Voluntary Carbon Standard, a recognizable and reliable independent standard for Verified Emissions Reductions. This means that the project that we have supported comply with the additionality criteria of the Clean Development Mechanism, and so would not have occurred without the revenue created through selling emission reduction credits.

These are some of the reasons we chose to work with Carbonfund.org and we are happy to contribute towards climate change projects through Carbonfund.org.